Rebel

Rebels are former citizens that have turned against the ruling government of Tropico. If a courageous citizen is particularly outraged at the government's actions (especially violent and illegal ones like having people openly eliminated by the military), they'll become rebels and escape into the wilderness where they can't be found. Some actions, such as enacting Conscription, starting an Inquisition, or - in Tropico 3 - outlawing a faction can cause citizens to join the rebellion or make the rebellion more active.

NOTE: It IS in fact possible to check the number of rebels currently on your island by clicking on the foreign section, then threat level in the almanac which can help players manage rebels and see how many remain if they are trying to give them all amnesty.

If the number of rebels is sufficient, they'll occasionally emerge from the jungle to stage an attack on a building in the hopes of destroying it. The building they choose to attack is invariably important to Tropico, such as a factory or the palace itself. If the mausoleum is built, all rebel attacks will be centered on it. If the rebels manage to reach the target, they'll plant and detonate explosives to destroy it. Losing the palace in this way topples Tropico's government, resulting in an instant loss.

During an attack, Tropico's presidente, soldiers, generals, and SWAT members will rally to protect the building, attempting to kill or scare off any rebels they come across. How well they do depends on their level of skill in their profession.

The Amnesty edict is the best solution to rebels, offering them a chance to peacefully leave the rebellion. If how you've governed Tropico has noticeably improved since the rebel first left, they'll agree to rejoin Tropico as a regular citizen.

Rebel Resistance

Relevancy

Ideology

The Rebel Resistance is an underground organization present in Tropico 5, whose main objective is to topple the ruling Dynasty from power, in the hopes of instilling political change in Tropico.

Rebels consist of ordinary people (eg. builders, teamsters, teachers, clerks, etc.), and each one has their own reason to become rebels. Some may be desperate people who can't find a job and/or a home, some may become rebellious after witnessing any dictatorial actions, and some may join simply because they disagree with some government policies.

Rebel activity can appear as early as the World Wars Era. The Resistance isn't some random rabble. They are organized, have a command structure (as evidenced by the presence of Rebel Leaders), they organize themselves in squads and hide between the population in residential areas. They also have their own spy network, carefully surveilling the Regime for an opening to attack.

If Rebel Threat will become high, an attack could happen. Rebel Squads will emerge from slums or residences to either attack production facilities, or industrial buildings. If they successfully destroy their first objectives before they are engaged by the Military they may immediately return to the shadows, or aim for the Palace.
The destruction of the Palace ends the game in defeat.

The Drone Command will actively hunt down and kill known rebels with no other repercussions after they are identified. However, this requires your Police and Intelligence services to identify them to be effective.

The Supermax Prison is another option for dealing with rebels without the need for kill order or banishment which can be expensive and have some negative repercussions.

With Espionage DLC installed, Dungeons are cheaper, more cost effective option than the Supermax Prison, which has an added benefit that they only require illiterate Wardens instead of High School educated Police Officers.